Letters and feedback: Nov. 22, 2017

Stores, shops and malls are gearing up for a hopefully very successful shopping season, kicking off with Black Friday sales. At the Calendars.com kiosk in Melbourne Square Mall, Amy Towns of Palm Bay was looking for deals on calendars. (Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)Buy Photo

It has been heartwarming to see the outcry from so many to the news about the cut in funding to Aging Matters in Brevard.

As a Meals on Wheels volunteer driver who delivers meals to some of the wonderful people who need our help, I would like to suggest that people who are concerned can help in several ways. A charitable donation to Aging Matters would certainly help. Volunteering a few hours a week is the most rewarding thing I have done personally. To see the smiles and hear "bless you" from so many people makes me feel useful and happy.

As a fellow volunteer says, "This is the best job I ever had." It is easy and fun, so anyone who has a little extra time might want to consider it. It is wonderful to see so many comments from people who care about our most vulnerable seniors.

Cindy Celich, Palm Bay

Priorities seem way off

Where are our priorities when Brevard County can spend $6.78 million on promotion and advertising and not fund Meals on Wheels? What's wrong with this county?

Ashamed to live in Brevard County.

Maureen Moore, Viera

Can't we have 1 day for thanks?

As a nation, a united one, can't we focus more on Thanksgiving and less on Black Friday? How did Thanksgiving get lost in the shuffle between Black Friday and Christmas?

No Thanksgiving for America? No giving thanks to our country, to our families and to our friends? Let's all rush out, as soon as possible after Thanksgiving dinner, if we have even had Thanksgiving dinner, and shop till we drop.

We even have a new holiday as well — Black Thursday Night. Let's run each other over in a frenzy for that perfect gift.

Totally incredible for a nation that has so much to be thankful for.

Claudia Krischik, Melbourne

Think great, not grating

Thanksgiving is about doing great things, not grating things, in showing gratefulness for things.

Americans show how grateful they are by shaking a hand, not pounding sand; patting a back, not talking smack; and taking a knee to honor God, not to dishonor our flag, our country, and the brave men and women who have served and have died to help keep us free.

Jeff Boston, Rockledge

'We never get answers'

Republicans in Congress are voting for a very unpopular tax bill, without any regular order, including provisions that have nothing to do with taxes.

They already passed a budget resolution that will allow for a cut in Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security — the exact amount for the projected deficit, which means that those programs will pay for tax cuts that benefit rich people.

The tax bill already cuts Medicaid and all deductions for working poor and middle class, plus it cuts Medicare by $25 billion immediately.

Private jet owners get a tax cuts. Teachers who buy supplies for their students don’t.

Corporations that send money and job overseas get a tax cut. Elderly and disabled people with high medical expenses lose their tax deductions.

I asked Congressman Posey and Sen. Rubio about those provisions. Mr. Posey never responded; Mr. Rubio sent me a rant about Obamacare — the same one I received years ago.

The staffers cannot explain why Congressman Posey promised not to cut Medicare and Medicaid, but voted for the bill, and why Sen. Rubio has press releases on his website promising to “protect” elderly people and Medicare but cannot answer why he will (likely) vote for the bill.

Since they don’t meet with constituents (they do love fundraisers though), we never get answers. The leaders of the party admitted they are doing what the big donors demanded.

Now we wait for the usual Republican amnesia about how the deficit increased, followed by the let’s-blame-the-poor-people talking point.